Continuous slimes-washer.



N0 MODEL.

PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904. L. B. PORTER. CONTINUOUS SLIMES WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED r1113. 23. 1904.

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NITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT rr ca.

CONTINUOUS SLlIVlES-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,222, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed February 23, 1904. Serial No. 194,662. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs E. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camp Rochester, (post office address Stagg,) in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented a new and useful Continuous Slimes-WVasher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for washing slimes, and particularly to an apparatus designed for carrying out the process continuously, the slimes and sand being fed continuously into the tank and the slimes and sand after being washed discharging continuously from the bottom of the tank.

In another application of mine, filed February 15, 1904, Serial No. 193,533, is shown and described a slimes-agitating washer apparatus embodying some of the features which are shown in this application; but this present apparatus differs from that apparatus in that it is designed especially for washing the slimes and sand and contains features so combined that the washing process may be carried on continuously without stopping to recharge the apparatus.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means for continuously feeding slimes and sand to the tank, washing the slimes and sand, and displacing the enriched solution by a device which gives a uniform and substantiall y perfect distribution of the washingwater throughout the charge and which causes a continuous discharge of the solution with the values from the tank.

Another important feature is that if it is desired to agitate the contents, which maybe the case once in a while, to stir up and rearrange the contents to facilitate effective washing compressed air may be introduced through the charge for this purpose by the same device which introduces the wash-water. This apparatus may therefore be used in conjunction with agitators of any good type.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referring thereto Figure 1 is a vertical section taken diametrically through the apparatus. Fig. 2 is asectional view on the lower portion of the tubular shaft.

1 designates the tank, the bottom of which I is conical, as shown, and the upper edge of the tank is provided with an annular launder 2. A pervious material, such as'gunny-sacking 3, is foldedover the upper edge of the tank 1 and may be secured by tacks. At the apex of the conical portion of the tank 1 is a discharge-pipe 4, and 5 is a conical valve having a stem 6, which is connected to a lever 7, pivoted at 8, by means of which the position of the valve 5 may be regulated to either close the pipe 4 or maintain any desired area of opening varying from a closed position to a completely-open position.

At the upper end of the tank 1 is a spider 9, which supports a funnel or feed-hopper 10, and attached to the funnel is a spider or frame 11, having a bearing 12.

13 is a beam extending across the tank 1 and having a bearing 14.

15 is a tubular shaft which extends through the tank 1 and is mounted in the bearings 12 and 14, there being a collar 16, which holds the shaft in position. The upper end of the shaft lies within a stuffing-box 17 and communicating with the stuffing-box 17 is a pipe 18, having a T 19, from which branch at water-pipe 20 and a pipe 21 for conveying compressed air. Valves 22 and 23 are provided for the respective pipes 20 and 21.

24 is a bevel-gear mounted on the tubular shaft 15, and its hub rests upon the face of the bearing 12, which assists in maintaining the shaft in place, and meshing with the bevelgear 24 is a pinion 25, carried by a horizontal shaft 26.

The tubular shaft 15 extends to a point adjacent the bottom of the tank 1, and at its bottom is provided with three orifices 27, as shown in detail in Fig. 2.

25 represents radial pipes which are attached to the tubular shaft 15 and which communicate therewith, and the under side of the pipes 25 are perforated, as at 28. The end of each pipe is also perforated.

' 29 is a scraper attached at its upper end to one of the arms 27 and at its lower end is connected to the tubular shaft 15 by an arm 30. The scraper 29 does not make actual contact with the walls of the tank, but lies sufficiently near and parallel with the sloping walls of the conical portion so that as the shaft 15 revolves and the scraper is moved. around it will serve to prevent baking of the slimcs on the conical portion.

31 is a pipe for the introduction of fresh slimcs to the funnel 10.

In operation the slimes and sand are fed through the pipe 31 into the funnel 10 and admitted gradually into the tank. In starting up the apparatus the valve 5 maybe closed until a certain quantity has been fed into the tank. lVhen the valve 22 is opened, the washing-water is admitted to the tubular shaft and this water issues from the perforations in the pipes and works its way up through the contents, gradually displacing the rich solution. The valve 5 should be opened, so that slimcs and sand free from solution pass down and out through the pipe f. As the washwater raises through the charge it washes the charge and the solution carrying the values is thus displaced and passes over the edge of.

the tank, filtering through the gunnysacking 3, and the capillarity of the latter helps to draw the solution over the edge of the tank. The rotation of the pipes 25 while discharging the wash-water causes the wash-water to work up uniformly through all parts of the charge, so that a minimum amount of water suffices to wash a large charge. The inconiing fresh water cannot escape through the pipe 4, as the outgoing slimcs and sand completely fill the latter. Thus the slimcs and sand are washed by the fresh water admitted through the rotating pipe-arms and the rich solution gradually flows over the edge of the tank through the filter 3 into the launder 2, from whence it is drawn off. The position of the valve 5 is regulated so as to allow the washed slimcs and sand to discharge only as fast as slimcs are admitted through the pipe 31. The small streams of water which issue from thebottom, of the tubular shaft 15 serve to wash the small amount of slimcs and sand at the bottom of the conical part of the tank.

It may be advantageous to stir up and agitate the contents once in a while to prevent packing of the charge and to loosen it up, so that the washing-water will come in contact with all sides of the slimcs and sand. This may be done by shutting off the water and turning on the compressed air, which immediately agitatcs the contents, the compressed air being admitted through the same rotary distributor through which the water was admitted.

What I claim is 1. A tank for containing the charge, a hollow rotary distributer in the tank, means for introducing compressed air and water to the inside of the hollow distributer, a valve at the bottom of the tank, and a funnel at the top of the tank.

2. A tank having a conical bottom, a valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a

pipe-arm on the shaft communicating therewith, and means for introducing compressed air and water to the tubular shaft.

3. A tank having a conical bottom, a valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pipe-arm on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the tubular shaft, and a scraper connected to the tubular shaft.

4:. A tank having a conical bottom, a valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pipe-arm on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the tubular shaft, and a funnel at the top of the tank concentric with the shaft.

5. A tank having a conical bottom, avalve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pipe-arm on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the tubular shaft, a pervious material at the upper edge of the tank, and a launder for receiving the solution from the pervious material.

6. A tank having a conical bottom, a conical valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pair of perforated pipe-arms on the shaft communicating therewith, and means for introducing compressed air and. water to the shaft.

7. A tank having a conical bottom, a conical valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pair of perforated pipe-arms on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the shaft, and a funnel at the upper part of the tank concentric with the shaft.

8. A tank having a conical bottom, a con ical valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pair of perforated pipe-arms on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the shaft, and a scraper supported by the tubular shaft substantially parallel with the sloping wall of the bottom of the tank.

9. A tank having a conical bottom, a conical valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, a pair of perforated pipe-arms on the shaft communicating therewith, means for introducing compressed air and water to the shaft, a pervious material at the upper edge of the tank, and a launder for receiving solution from the pervious material.

10. A tank having a conical bottom, a conical valve in the bottom, a tubular shaft in the tank, means Within the tank for supporting the shaft at an intermediate point, aspider at the upper end of the tank, a funnel on the spider, another spider in the funnel and supporting the shaft, a stufling-box at the upper end of the shaft, an air-pipe and a Water-pipe connected with the stuffing-box, apair of perforated pipe-arms on the shaft, a scraper carried by the shaft, suitable gearing for driving the shaft, a pervious material at the upper edge of the tank, and a launder for reto this specification, in thepresence of two sub: eeiving the solution from the tank. scribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the IO 11. A tank for containing the charge, a rocounty of Los Angeles and State of Califortatably -mounted hollow distributor in the nia, this 13th day of February, 1904.

5 tank, a valve at the lower part of the tank, LEWIS E. PORTER.

and a pervious material on the upper edge of Witnesses: the tank. GEORGE T. HACKLEY,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name JULIA TOWNSEND. 

